Over-the-top delivery for pumps having anti-freeze properties



April 11, 1967 J. C.NEWMAN 3,313,243

OVER-THE-TOP DELIVERY FOR PUMPS HAVING ANTI-FREEZE PROPERTIES FiledSept. 23, 1965 GROUND LINE RosT LINE IN VENTOR.

- Zfiz;

ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,313,241 OVER-THE-TOP DELIVERY FOR PUMPSHAVING ANTI-FREEZE PROPERTIES JC Newman, 2215 E. Main St, Kalamazoo,Mich. 49001 Filed Sept. 23, 1965, Ser. No. 489,504 3 Claims. (Cl.103-221) This invention relates to improvements in over-the-top deliveryfor pumps with antifreeze properties.

The principal objects of this invention are:

First, to provide a pump delivery from a well casing to a distributionsystem in which the drop pipe from the well passes above ground leveland downwardly in a delivery pipe to below the frost line with thedelivery pipe enclosed in a pressurized casing connected to the deliverysystem with a rearwardly setting check valve in the bottom of thedelivery pipe and with a siphon tube extending from below the frost linewithin the delivery pipe to below the frost line and below the first endof the siphon tube in the drop pipe.

Second, to provide an antifreeze siphon system which will empty thedelivery pipe of an over-the-top pump delivery when the pump is not inoperation to prevent freezing of the delivery pipe and in which thedelivery pipe is enclosed in a casing subject to the pressure of thedistribution system or storage tank to which the pump delivers so thatthere is no chance of seepage of surface water into the water system.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from aconsideration of the following description and claims. The drawing, ofwhich there is one sheet, illustrates a highly practical form of thedelivery system of the invention.

The drawing is a fragmentary cross sectional view illustrating the partsof the delivery system in somewhat conventionalized form.

It is an old and well-known practice to provide wells having casingswhich project above the ground level in outside or exposed positionswhere they are subjected to freezing and to provide drop pipes withinthe casing extending downwardly to submerged pumps which intermittentlypump water up through the top of the casing and then downwardlly througha discharge pipe for connection to a water main, tank or distributionsystem. The name, over-the-top delivery, is derived from thispositioning of the drop pipe and its connection to the discharge pipeand various methods have been proposed for draining those portions ofthe delivery system which are above the frost line so as to preventfreezing of the system when the pump is not in operation. The drawingconventionally illustrates the casing l of a well which is extended fromabove the groundline 2 to a lower end below the water table at 3.Positioned within the casing is a drop pipe 4 which extends downwardlyto a pump conventionally illustrated at 5. The pump is electricallydriven and an electric cable 6 for energizing the pump extends upwardlythrough the casing to a well breather box 7 mounted on a well casingcover 8. The cover 8 functions to support the drop pipe 4 within thecasing as by a welded connection at 9 or other suitable and wellknownmeans. The drop pipe is provided with a foot valve conventionallyindicated at 10 at its lower end which closes when the pump is not inoperation as illustrated in the drawing. The casing and drop pipe extenddownwardly below the frost line or line of freezing temperaturesindicated at 11 and the drop pipe is provided with one or more bleeders12 positioned below the frost line which function to drain water out ofthe upper end of the drop pipe back into the well casing and admit airinto the drop pipe from within the casing when the pump is not inoperation.

The upper end of the drop pipe 4 is connected to a cross-section 13 ofdelivery pipe 14 which extends downwardly to below the frost line andwhich is provided at its lower end with a suitable cage and guide 15 fora check valve 16 which seats rearwardly against the flow of water underthe influence of a spring 17 when the pump is not in operation. Afragment of a building foundation 18 and building wall 19 indicate thatthe well casing and delivery pipe are positioned exteriorly of anyprotective cover and thus subject to freezing temperatures.

The delivery pipe 14 delivers through openings 26 in the valve cage 15when the pump is operating to within a casing 21 positioned in spacedrelation around the delivery pipe 14 and extending above the groundlevel 2 to a cover fitting 22 which is sealed to the exterior of thedrop pipe as indicated at 23. The casing 21 connects at its lower end toan elbow 24 which in turn connects to a water main or other part of awater distribution system 25. The main 25 is subject to pressure in thesystem as from other pumps connected to the same system or by connectionat 26 to a tank 27 protected from freezing and within which air underpressure may be trapped when the pump 5 is operating.

In operation of the system the pump 5 is started on demand causing thefoot valve 10 to open and causing water to be delivered upwardly throughthe drop pipe and the crossover 13 to the delivery pipe 14 where thepressure of the water opens the check valve 16 and water is delivered tothe distribution system through the main or other tank 27. Positionedwithin the delivery pipe 14 is the short leg 28 of a constantly opensiphon tube 28 which extends through the cross-over at 29 and downwardlyin a long leg 3-9, within the drop pipe and to below the frost line. Theshort leg 28 of the siphon tube also extends to below the frost line asat 31 and the long leg 3t) extends to below the level of the short legas at 32, desirably between the bleeder valves 12. Flow of water throughthe drop pipe and the delivery pipe when the pump is operating fills thesiphon tube including both its long and short legs.

When the pump is stopped the foot valve it closes the bottom of the droppipe and back pressure in the system delivered through the main 25closes the check valve 16 so that the drop pipe and delivery pipe areisolated from the pump and the distribution system. Water in the upperportion of the drop pipe flows by gravity through one of the bleeders 12back into the casing and as the level of water in the drop pipe fallsbelow the level of water in the delivery pipe the siphon tube commencesto siphon water from the delivery pipe into the drop pipe. This actionwill continue until the delivery pipe is emptied of water to the levelof the end 31 below the frost line and until the siphon tube itself isemptied. Air from the well casing enters one of the bleeders 12 to fillthe cross-over section 13 and the portions of the delivery pipe and droppipe above the bleeders and above the frost line so that no waterremains in a position where it will freeze. It is a feature of thesystem that air forced through the delivery pipe when the pump isstarted escapes through the check valve 16 and rises in the deliverypipe casing 21 thus forming a cushion above the level of water in thecasing 21 so that all underground portions of the delivery system areunder positive pressure preventing the leakage of surface water into thesystem at any time.

What is claimed as new is:

1. An over the top delivery system for a well having a casing, a droppipe with a foot valve and submerged pump at the bottom thereof locatedbelow the frost line in the casing, a bleeder opening between said droppipe and the inside of the casing below the frost line, and a deliverypipe extending from the top of said drop pipe above ground level anddownwardly to below the frost line exteriorly of the casing,

characterized by a second delivery pipe casing extending in surroundingrelation to said delivery pipe to above ground level and sealed to thedelivery pipe above ground level,

said second casing defining a chamber along said delivery pipe and beingadapted to be connected at its lower end to a water distribution systemunder pressure,

a check valve connected to the lower end of said delivery pipe andwithin said chamber below the frost line and arranged to seat rearwardlytowards said and a siphon tube having a short leg opening at the bottomin said delivery pipe below the frost line and 4 above said check valveand extending to a long leg opening in said drop pipe below the frostline and below the level of the end of said short leg.

2. A Well delivery system as defined in claim 1 in which said siphontube extends entirely within said delivery pipe and the connectionthereof to said drop pipe.

3. A well delivery system as defined in claim 1 in which said long legof said siphon tube extends to below said bleeder.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,557,949 10/1925Walton 103--221 3,045,607 7/1962 Lindner 103221 ROBERT M. WALKER,Primary Examiner.

1. AN OVER THE TOP DELIVERY SYSTEM FOR A WELL HAVING A CASING, A DROPPIPE WITH A FOOT VALVE AND SUBMERGED PUMP AT THE BOTTOM THEREOF LOCATEDBELOW THE FRONT LINE IN THE CASING, A BLEEDER OPENING BETWEEN SAID DROPPIPE AND THE INSIDE OF THE CASING BELOW THE FROST LINE, AND A DELIVERYPIPE EXTENDING FROM THE TOP OF SAID DROP PIPE ABOVE GROUND LEVEL ANDDOWNWARDLY TO BELOW THE FROST LINE EXTERIORLY OF THE CASING,CHARACTERIZED BY A SECOND DELIVERY PIPE CASING EXTENDING IN SURROUNDINGRELATION TO SAID DELIVERY PIPE TO ABOVE GROUND LEVEL AND SEALED TO THEDELIVERY PIPE ABOVE GROUND LEVEL, SAID SECOND CASING DEFINING A CHAMBERALONG SAID DELIVERY PIPE AND BEING ADAPTED TO BE CONNECTED AT ITS LOWEREND TO A WATER DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM UNDER PRESSURE, A CHECK VALVECONNECTED TO THE LOWER END OF SAID DELIVERY PIPE AND WITHIN SAID CHAMBERBELOW THE FROST LINE AND ARRANGED TO SEAT REARWARDLY TOWARDS SAID PUMP,AND A SIPHON TUBE HAVING A SHORT LEG OPENING AT THE BOTTOM IN SAIDDELIVERY PIPE BELOW THE FROST LINE AND ABOVE SAID CHECK VALVE ANDEXTENDING TO A LONG LEG OPENING IN SAID DROP PIPE BELOW THE FROST LINEAND BELOW THE LEVEL OF THE END OF SAID SHORT LEG.